Project Designer Jobs in California

Thornton Tomasetti applies engineering and scientific principles to solve the world’s challenges. An independent organization of creative thinkers and innovative doers collaborating from offices worldwide, our mission is to bring our clients' ideas to life and, in the process, lay the groundwork for a better, more resilient future. We provide support and opportunities to our employees to achieve their full potential and cultivate a rewarding career.

Our Protective Design & Security practice prioritizes the protection of life and assets by mitigating consequences of security risks in the built environment. With more than 75 years of experience, our risk-led and strategic solutions safeguard people, property, and operations from intentional harm, evolving and emerging threats. Whether safeguarding a cultural landmark, securing a healthcare facility, or planning for crowd safety at a major event, our approach is grounded in intelligence, simulation, and human-centered design to deliver resilient solutions with demonstrable performance and lasting impact.

The Role:

As an Architectural Project Designer in our Protective Design & Security practice, you will play a key role in delivering security strategy and security design across a range of projects. You will guide technical work, coordinate with other disciplines, and help turn assessment findings into implementable design measures that embed tailored security solutions into architecture, user experience, infrastructure, and operations. If you're ready to make an impact and grow into future project leadership, this is the place to do it.

What You'll Do:

• Lead portions of security planning and design assignments.
• Develop site, perimeter, lobby, screening, and access control concepts that align with project goals and user needs.
• Organize deliverables, coordinate information across disciplines, and help maintain quality and consistency.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to support integrated design solutions.
• Review junior staff work and provide feedback that improves quality and consistency.
• Contribute to proposals, presentations, project management activities, and client-facing discussions.

What You'll Bring:

• Bachelor's degree in architecture, urban design, planning, civil engineering, or a related field; master's degree preferred.
• 4+ years of relevant experience in security consulting, planning, design, or closely related work.
• Ability to synthesize risk, design, and operational inputs into practical recommendations.
• Strong coordination skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Architectural licensure, or Physical Security Professional (PSP) certification preferred.
• Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance.

Compensation

The rate for this position generally is $100,000 - $130,000 annually. This range is a good faith estimate provided pursuant to the California Pay Transparency Law. It is based on what a successful California applicant might be paid and assumes that the successful candidate will be in California or perform the position from California. Similar positions located outside of California will not necessarily receive the same compensation. Actual pay rates may vary from the range, as permitted by California Equal Pay Transparency Law. Compensation offers will be based on various factors, including operational needs, individual education, qualifications and experience, work location and comparison to employee already in the role, as well as other considerations permitted by law. A potential new employee’s pay history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits

Depending on your employment status, benefits may include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, Disability and other voluntary benefits

• Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical and Childcare

• Paid Time Off, Family Leave for New Parents, Volunteer Time

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Commuter Transit (where available)

• 401k retirement savings with Company matching on employee contributions and/or qualified student loan repayments

• Fitness Reimbursement

• And other various wellness, diversity/inclusion and employee resource programs and initiatives

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Thornton Tomasetti is proud to be an equal employment workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Thornton Tomasetti are considered without regards to age, ancestry, color, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, protected family care or medical leave status, race, religion (including beliefs and practices or the absence thereof), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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